BESTUURLIJK KNOOPPUNT (ADMINISTRATIVE JUNCTION), ZWIJNDRECHT

When designing the ‘Bestuurlijk Knooppunt’ (City Hall) Zwijndrecht, the design focussed mainly on the end-user perspective. Today's society is becoming increasingly democratic. Citizens are being empowered. The boundary lines between officials and citizens are becoming blurred. This changing society demands a flexible administration: transparent and open. These qualities arereflected in Zwijndrecht’s City Hall. EGM created a clear, user friendly, transparent and open building where citizens and employees can easily find their way.

The starting point for the design was to renew and improve municipal services, from both the interior and from the architectural perspectives. Next to a new city hall the design includes a police station, a car park and 22 apartments. Transparency and overview are very important, andthrough the glass enclosed voids officials have visual contact with the central hall. The spaciousness of the entrance, the central hall and the grand café ensure that visitors and users easily find their way around. The new abstract, transparent building is a monumental backdrop to the City Hall and allows the 'traditional masterpiece' come into its own.